Convertible chair



- April 8 192.4. 1,489,304

' G. B. BROWN CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed July 5. 1922 '1 fl; ,3 ;4 I72 [71I \II 1% H m: y 4 7 1 A L L III a i 2/ PM 1 'mw Patented Apr, 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUY B. BROWN, 01 GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BROWN BROTHERS COM-PANY', OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

Application filed July 3,

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, GUY B. BROWN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of Vorcesterand State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inConvertible Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is embodied in a chair having a fixed apertured seat,adapting the chair foruse as a commode, and a flexible slide permanentlyconnected with the chair and adapted to occupy an operative positioncovering the aperture of the fixed seat, and an imperative positionexposing said aperture, the slide constituting a closed seat when in oneposition and being stored within the chair when in either of saidpositions, and slidable from either position to the other.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceedto de scribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,--

' Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a chair embodying the invention,showing the sliding seat in its operative position.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1. parts of the chair beingshown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 2, showing the slidingseat in its inoperative position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on line -1- 1 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a respective view of one of the angular bars hereinafterdescribed.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

Although I have shown. the invention em bodied in a high chair forchildren, it will be apparent that it may be embodied in a low chair forchildren and for adults. The chair frame in this instance, includes sidemembers 9, 9, a front member 10, and a horizontal member 11.

12 represents a seat fixed to the frame and provided with an aperture13, the seat being of any suitable form, and attached in any suitablemanner to other fixed elements of the chair. The members 9, 10 and 11constitute the sides and bottom, and the seat 12 the top, of a recesswhich has an open 1922. Serial No. 572,490.

I mouth at one side to permit the insertion of a vessel 14, which may besupported below the apertur 13 by ears 15, or otherwise.

A continuous flexible slide, designated as a whole by 16, is formed tocover the aperture 13, when in the substantially horizontal positionshown by Figures 1 and 2, which is its operative position, and ismovable to a substantially vertical inoperativeposition exposingtheaperture, and entirely within the chair frame, as shown by Figure 3,mean being provided for guiding the slide from either )osition to thother. i i

I em ody said means in fixed guides of angular form, in which the slide'16 is movable edgewise, said guides being at opposite sides of theaperture 13, and adapted to engage opposite ends of the slide 16. In theembodiment of the invention here shown, the end portions 12 of the fixedseat form substantially horizontal members of said guides, the othermembers being formed by two angular bars fixed to the chair, havingsubstantially horizontal rebated arms 17 constituting horizontal guidemembers coopcrating with the guide members formed by the seat ends 12,as best shown by Figure 4, and substantially vertical grooved arms 18,forming vertical guide members, the grooves 18 of said arms merging intothe recesses 17 of the arms 17, as best shown by Figure 5.

The slide 16 is preferably composed of independent slats 16 (Figure 4:),and a flexible backing 16 of sheet material, such as canvas to which theslats are cemented, the construction being similar to that of thesliding member of a roll-top desk.

lVhen the slide 16 is in its operative or aperture covering position, itbears on the top of the fixed seat, and is supported thereby. The areaof the slide may be such that when it is moved to its inoperative'oraperture-exposing position, one or more of its slats will remain on thefixed seat, as shown by Figure 3. The arms 17 and 18 are provided withstops 20 and 21, which limit the movements of the sliding seat in eachdirection, so that the seat is permanently connected with the chair.

It will now be seen that the slide 16 is movable on the upper surfaceand across one edge of the seat 12, and is formed to occupy a horizontalposition covering the seat,

as shown by Figure 2, and an upright position in the mouth of thevessel-receiving recess. The slide when in a horizontal position, issupported by the seat 12 above the recess mouth and constitutes theoperative seat of the chair. WVhen the slide is in an upright positionit exposes the seat 12, and is stored inoperatively in the mouth of therecess, as shown by Figure 3.

I claim:

1. A convertible chair comprising a frame, an apertured seat fixedthereto, the seat and members of the frame forming a recess within theframe having an open mouth, permittingthe insertion of a vessel underthe seat, and a flexible seat-covering slide movable on the uppersurface and across one edge of the apertured seat and formed to occupy ahorizontal position covering the seat, and an upright position in themouth of the said recess, fixed'means being provided for guiding theslide from either position to the other, the slide, When in a horizontalposition, being supported by the fixed seat above the recess mouth, andconstituting the operative seat of the chair,

and when in an upright position, exposing the apertured seat. 7

2. A convertible chair comprising a frame, an apertured seat fixedthereto, the seat and members of the frame forming a recess with in theframe having an open mouth, permitting the insertion of a vessel underthe seat, a flexible seat-covering slide movable on the upper surfaceand across one edge of the apertured seat and formed to occupy ahorizontal position covering the seat, and an upright position in themouth of the recess, and angular bars fixed to the frame and forminghorizontal guide members over the ends of the seat, and upright guidemembers at opposite ends of the recess mouth, said guide members beingadapted to guide the slide from either of said positions to the other,the slide, when in a horizontal position, being supported bytheapertured seat above the recess mouth and constituting the operativeseat of the chair, and, when in an upright position, exposing theaperture seat.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

GUY B. BROWN.

